Evelyn's bright green eyes fluttered open with a whimper.
"That actually shucken worked!" Minho gasped.
"You're a genius." Sonny said dryly.
"Evelyn?" Newt asked hesitantly. He hadn't removed his hand, gently moving her head to look at him. Her eyes were unfocused fuzzy and he could see the pain.
She didn't say anything, her breathing was still shallow and ragged, each breath looked like it was causing her pain. Newt's heart felt like it was breaking, seeing her so exhausted and in so much pain.
She blinked a few more times, trying to take in the room full of people.
"...Nick..?" She breathed.
Newt exhaled, hearing her voice. "He's okay, Love, he's okay, just sleeping." Her eyes focused on him, on his big brown eyes and relief, fear, pain, and all the other emotions she couldn't name flooded through her and she let out a broken sob.
"Time to go." Sonny said and him and Alby shooed everyone out the door, closing it behind them.
"Shhh, Love, it's going to be alright. You were amazing, you gave everything, and you saved Nick!"
"But...not Billy or Steve." Her crying was making her gasp in pain, which only made her cry harder because the pain in her side.
Her stomach was twisting with the pain, her head spun with the torturer coming from the broken ribs. Newt held her face between his hands, gently brushing her tears away with his thumbs. Leaning back over he placed his forehead on hers. He held her like that until her sobs were whimpers and sniffs again. He gently kissed each slaty cheek.
"Evelyn, Love, you can't save them all."
"I can try." She whispered.
"Yes you can, and you did. I saw you, you did everything in your power to save them."
"It wasn't good enough." she whispered, her eyes still clamped tight.
Newt frowned at her, "Look at me please." He demanded softly.
Her tear filled red rimmed eyes opened and focused on Newt's.
"It was enough! It was everything! You saved my shucken life, physically and emotionally. Evy, you saved Nick's bloody life, more than once. You've saved Gally's buggen' life! What about when Winston was buggen' kicked in the head by that cow? Ya saved him too! Love, in a place like this...where the bloody creators use kids to perfect some kinda poison, shucken death monsters...there is only so much we can do! I know it sounds harsh an' tackles...but Evy you do everythin' . You give more than ya receive."
Her lip was quivering, tears still leaked out and ran down her temples, his thumbs never stopped brushing away the tears. His eyes softened more, his was more gentle now, "I'm not sayin' to not mourn them or ta not try...I'm sayin' don't put so much buggen' pressure on yourself. Please."
She sniffed, closing her eyes again. He leaned down and kissed her forehead tenderly.
"I love you so much, My Angel."
"I...love you too." She whispered between small sniffs and hiccups and winces.
"You need to sleep. What can I get you to make you more comfortable?" He asked.
His big soft brown eyes looking at her so tenderly her heart melted.
"Can you get some of the sleepy tea?" She asked, "It's ready to go, in the glass jar on the shelf, just mix it with hot water."
"Sure love."
He got up and with the help of one of the crutches, went to the other room. He came back a few minutes later. He slid a hand under her back and slowly helped her sit up enough to drink it, sliding another pillow behind her. She sucked in a breath threw clenched teeth. Once she was settled he sat down and handed her the tea.
"Jeff also said to take these." He handed her some pain meds.
Taking them she realized she wasn't wearing clothes. Frowning she looked at Newt, he had a deep blush rising on his cheeks.
"You were covered in blood, and ya had such a high buggen' fever! We had to remove them, I had'ta cut your shirt off! It was so shucken stuck t'ya. Well Jeff and me...mostly...uh me. We moved you in here first! An' I did it with the- no not did it- I uh took your clothes off- blood hell this doesn't sound good- I uh... I'm sorry." He looked down, feeling nervous and awkward and like he crossed a line, rubbing the back of his neck. He felt really hot and his mouth was dry.
"Shuck. That was my favorite shirt." She said pouted.
With his hand still rubbing the back of his neck, he looked up sharply. "Wha'?"
"I liked that shirt." She pouted.
"After all that..? You're mad about the buggen' shirt."
She shrugged and then winced, sucking in a hard breath, her hand flew down to hold her side. Newt cocked his head to the side, frowning.
"You did what you had to do Newt. Of all the people in the Glad I trust you and Jeff to not do anything or try anything or make some comment later. No Newt, I'm not mad." Her voice was thin and thick with pain, but she gave him a small reassuring smile. She saw the tension leave his shoulders.
Evelyn finished her tea and her eyes were getting heavy.
"Bedtime Love." He chuckled, watching her struggle to stay awake. He helped her slid back down. Getting her situated, and tucked her in, he leaned down and kissed her softly. She still felt warm, but not like before.
"Come to bed, Love." She whispered.
"Are you sure? I'm okay in the chair."
"Newton, if you don't get your bloody arse in bed I'm going to throw a temper tantrum." She smirked sleepily up at him, making him chuckle.
A few minutes later after he was changed into nothing but pj bottoms, with the splint removed he crawled into bed on her good side and lay down carful not to bump her. She turned her head to face him, he intertwined their fingers, and then his other hand gently rested on her cheek and jaw line. He saw her exhale, relaxing into his touch.
"I love you." She whispered.
"I love ya too Evelyn."
But she was already sleep. He smiled at her. He lay for a long time, just watching her, and gently caressing her face.
___________________________________
Someone cleared their throat above her. She blinked awake, she tried to move her arm but one was stuck and the other one sent shooting pain into her side. She sucked in a sharp breath.
"Comfortable?" Minho's sassy amused voice came from above.
She blinked awake, looking over Newt's head that was rested on her chest. Minho stood by the bed, his arms folded, a smirk on his face and his eyebrows raised.
"What?"
Minho didn't say anything, his eyes just traveled over. Evelyn didn't realize the very precarious sleeping position they were in, and the blanket was pulled away. Heat flooded her face, and she let out a small groan of embarrassment. She hadn't moved, her body keeping still while she slept and tried to heal the broken rib, but Newt sure had, and the hand he had fallen asleep with on her cheek, had fallen and came to a rest also on her chest.
Minho was trying very hard not to laugh as Newt finally woke up. His eyes flew open and he scrambled away, his face beat red.
"Bloody hell."
"What you two do ain't none of my business...just maybe not in the public Med Room?"
"Okay, one the door was bloody closed when we went to sleep." Newt sniffed, folding his arms and glaring at Minho who raised his eyebrows again. "And two. She can't even breath without pain, And three. I wouldn't buggen' try anything!"
Minho shrugged, "Whatever man."
"What do you want Minho?" Newt snapped, running a hand through his messy shaggy hair.
"Oh yeah, Jeff wanted to let you know that your meds are on the side table same with breakfast" He pointed to the small table beside the bed, "and Nick woke up this morning and hobbled off the breakfast and will be back to check on you."
"Fine. Thank you."
Minho chuckled. "Later Pixy." He nodded at Newt with a smirk, "Princess." He spun around and headed out the door "I gotta run. See ya later!"
"Shucken slinthead." Newt muttered. He looked down at Evelyn and blushed again, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine Newt." She also was blushing hard.
"Did...did you sleep okay?"
"Yes." She squeaked.
Newt reached out brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"You're so bloody pretty." He whispered, making her blush even deeper.
Newt lay back down, propping his head up on his hand and trained his fingers over her face again. This time big green eyes watched him. Both their stomachs rolling with wild butterflies. His fingers slowly traced her lips and then trailed down her jaw and her neck and throat. Her eyes slowly fluttered closed. Evelyn lay quiet, enjoying his slow gentle barley there caresses. Evelyn felt her heart slowly picking up its pace. His fingers trailed back and forth along her collarbone, and then slowly and gently along the top hem of her sports bra. Her breath hitched. He kept going, but didn't try anything else, just gently caressing her. She slowly let out the breath she was holding, it was making her rib throb painfully. She relaxed her muscles.
"Sleep, my Love."
His voice was so soft and gentle, just like his touch. She didn't understand how someone who was so full of gentle love and care could be so full of an empty darkness, how he could not see the good in himself. She loved him with her heart, body and soul. She gently faded to sleep, feeling his gentle fingers run over her skin.
__________________________________________
It took her two full days before she could sit up fully. Her fever was finally gone, the red swelling had faded. She knew it would take her a while to heal from this. She was completely exhausted, she slept quite a bit. Clint was quite a fast learner, and he followed the instructions in her journals and made her teas and herbal recipes while she was still in bed. Jeff and Clint made a good team. It was nice having a third MedJack. They caught him up on everything, answered his questions.
Nick was struggling, he spent a lot of time huddled in the chair beside Evelyn. Alby had continued to run the Glade. And surprisingly, (but not to Evelyn) Newt started to take on more responsibility of second while Nick stepped back.
"I can't do it anymore!" He muttered.
"I still think you can, but if you really don't want the responsibility anymore hand it over to Alby and Newt." Evelyn repeated. They had had the same conversation for a few days now.
"But that's going to throw the Glade into more chaos!"
"It's been fine. Alby and Newt are capable of running things. And it's not like your leaving, Nicky. You're still gonna be around. They can always come ask you thing if they need!"
He had taken his glasses off and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes with a groan. "Yeah. That's true..."
"Have you talked to Alby yet about stepping down?"
He just shook his head.
"Nicky." Evelyn said gently, trying to grab his elbow but yelp in pain when she leaned. It took her a second of heavy breathing for the pain to subside. Once it had faded she tried again.
"Okay. Alby will be fine, I'm sure. And I know Newt is enjoying helping out."
"Isn't he going back to Runner?"
Evelyn looked down at her lap, fiddling with the handle of her coffee mug. And shook her head.
"Evy?" Nick asked, frowning at her.
"No. He can't do it anymore. He'll always have a limp. I...I couldn't..." She sniffed, feeling the sting of tears.
"I couldn't fix his leg properly."
Tears leaked over her lashes and slid down her cheeks.
"Oh Evy!" Nick sighed, he reached over and took her hand.
"He can't run all day anymore. It's still sore at the end of the day. So if you are serious about stepping back, Alby will take on Leader, offer him the second position."
Nick nodded, "Does Minho know?"
Evelyn nodded slowly again, "yeah, he came to talk to me the other day. Minho isn't gonna say anything, if he tells Newt he doesn't think it's a good idea to go back it will crush him. I mean...he doesn't want to go back, he hated it. But having someone tell you not to come back ..it wouldn't do anyone any good."
Nick nodded in understanding. He gave her a smile, and squeezed her hand. "I think I will, you always have great ideas, Evy. Maybe you should be Glade Leader."
"Who says I'm not?" She raised her eyebrows. "You all keep coming to me for advice and keep taking it...you may be the head, but I'm the neck that moves the head. I'm in control."
She smirked at Nick who laughed at her.
"True Evy, very true. Okay, I'll talk to them later tonight and then we can make an official announcement."
"Good that." She grinned.
He got up and kissed the top of her head.
"What would I do without you?"
"You would all crash and burn."
Nick left with a laugh. The first real laugh since the accident.
"So true Evy. So shucken true."